The same forces who enabled and financed the two great wars of the last century are behind all of this. There are many people in this world knowingly and secretly doing the will of the powers of iniquity. Democracy has been used by the likes of Turkey and it seems Russia as well to be "dressed in sheeps clothing", until this no longer serves their purpose of course and then the truth is revealed. Erdogon came right out with it when it no longer served Turkey's purposes and began his consolidation of power and his "coup" against any and all who stood against him. Now he openly threatens Greece and longs to take back what was once Turkey's under the Ottoman empire. China has appointed their emperor for life now, and Russia I think will likely follow at some point when their ruse of democracy has run its course. These forces are always the same. They destroy and take innocent life, they revel in their cunning and hate God's children. They are the vipers that Christ spoke of who's father is the author of lies and a murderer from the beginning. The book of Wisdom chapter 2 describes them clearly. The mask will be taken off soon and it all will be revealed.
https://www.38north.org/2018/03/yongbyon030518/ Worth a read. More at the link including sat pics. Who knows if it is truth or propaganda. North Korea’s Yongbyon Nuclear Complex: 5 MWe Reactor is Likely Operating, New Military Encampment Established BY: 38 NORTH MARCH 5, 2018 A 38 North exclusive with analysis by Frank V. Pabian, Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. and Jack Liu Commercial satellite imagery of North Korea’s Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center from February 25 indicates that the 5 MWe reactor continue to show signs of operation as indicated by steam vapor plumes emanating from the generator hall and river ice melt near the reactor. Under normal operations, we would also expect to see a cooling water discharge near the river outfall. And while vapor plumes have been noted a few times over the past year, no cooling water discharges have been observed to support this conclusion. However, we cannot rule out that the North Koreans may have suppressed this signature by extending the discharge pipe into the river. If the reactor is operating again, as the evidence suggests, it means North Korea has resumed production of plutonium presumably for its nuclear weapons program. It also means that the North has likely extended its cooling water pipeline into the river (rather than near the river) to better conceal the reactor’s operational status, making monitoring efforts more difficult going forward.
Iran's foreign minister's comments on this situation are included in the article, Gazans ready for new protests after bloodiest day in years 31 Mar 2018 https://www.afp.com/en/news/23/gazans-ready-new-protests-after-bloodiest-day-years-doc-13h3nc1 AFP / Jack GUEZ Palestinian prepared for further protests near the Gaza border, a day after a major demonstration led to clashes that saw Israeli forces kill 16 people in the bloodiest day since a 2014 war Palestinians prepared for further protests near the Gaza border Saturday, a day after a major demonstration led to clashes that saw Israeli forces kill 16 people in the bloodiest day since a 2014 war. Protesters began returning to a tent city erected near the border with Israel to resume the demonstration planned to last six weeks in the blockaded enclave. Thousands were attending funerals for those killed, with mourners holding Palestinian flags and some chanting "revenge." A general strike was being held in both the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank. Israel defended its soldiers' actions on Friday, when troops opened fire on Palestinians who strayed from the main tent city protest -- attended by tens of thousands -- and approached the heavily fortified fence cutting off the Gaza Strip. AFP / Sophie RAMIS Gaza protests The Israeli military says it opened fire only when necessary against those throwing stones and firebombs or rolling tyres at soldiers. It also said there were attempts to damage the fence and infiltrate Israel, while alleging there was an attempted shooting attack against soldiers along the border that caused no casualties. But Palestinians accused Israel of using disproportionate force, while human rights groups questioned Israel's use of live fire. UN chief Antonio Guterres called for an "independent and transparent investigation." In addition to the 16 killed, more than 1,400 were wounded, 758 of them by live fire, with the remainder hurt by rubber bullets and tear gas inhalation, according to the Gazan health ministry. No casualties were reported among Israelis. - World 'must intervene' - Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas declared Saturday a day of national mourning and in a speech said he held Israel fully responsible for the deaths. AFP / MAHMUD HAMS A relative of Hamdan Abu Amsha, a Palestinian who was shot dead by Israeli forces during large-scale protests along the Gaza-Israel border, mourns at his funeral in the north Gaza town of Beit Hanun on March 31, 2018 "The large number of martyrs and people wounded in peaceful popular demonstrations shows that the international community must intervene to provide protection to our Palestinian people," he said. An Israeli military spokesman said Friday's events were "not a protest demonstration" but "organised terrorist activity." He accused Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the Gaza Strip and which has fought three wars with Israel since 2008, of being behind it and threatened wider military action if it continued. "If it continues, we shall have no choice but to respond inside the Gaza Strip against terrorist targets which we understand to be behind these events," Brigadier General Ronen Manelis told journalists. The six-week protest is in support of Palestinian refugees and the timetable holds significance for a range of reasons that have added to tensions. It began on Land Day, when Palestinians commemorate the killing of six unarmed Arab protesters in Israel in 1976, and as Jewish Israelis readied to observe the Passover holiday, which started at sundown on Friday. Protests will continue until the United States opens its new Jerusalem embassy around May 14, a move that has provoked deep anger among the Palestinians, who see the city's annexed eastern sector as the capital of their future state. AFP / MAHMUD HAMS Fellow protesters evacuate a Palestinian wounded by Israeli fire across the Gaza border fence on March 30, 2018, the bloodiest day of the conflict since a 2014 war May 14 will also mark 70 years since the creation of Israel, while Palestinians will commemorate what they call the Nakba, or "catastrophe," the following day. Nakba commemorates the more than 700,000 Palestinians who either fled or were expelled from their homes in the war surrounding Israel's creation in 1948. - 'Lethal force' - US President Donald Trump has harshly criticised the Palestinians in the past, but the State Department said only that it was "deeply saddened" by the loss of life and urged steps to lower tensions. Human Rights Watch criticised Israel's actions. "Israeli allegations of violence by some protesters do not change the fact that using lethal force is banned by international law except to meet an imminent threat to life," the New York-based group said, calling the number of killed and wounded "shocking." Israel's arch-foe Iran, a longstanding supporters of Hamas, condemned the "shameful" killing of protesters and mocked the fact that it happened as Israeli Jews prepared to mark Passover. "On the eve of Passover (of all days), which commemorates God liberating Prophet Moses and his people from tyranny, Zionist tyrants murder peaceful Palestinian protesters -- whose land they have stolen -- as they march to escape their cruel and inhuman apartheid bondage," Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted. AFP / MAHMUD HAMS Gazans flee as Israeli troops on the other side of the border launch dozens of tear gas canisters at a demonstration east of Gaza City on March 30, 2018 Israel had deployed troop reinforcements along the border, including more than 100 special forces snipers, saying it would prevent attempts to break through the fence. Protests along the border are common, often culminating in young Palestinian men throwing stones at Israeli soldiers who respond with tear gas along with rubber and live bullets. But the "March of Return" protest that began on Friday is larger scale and is intended to involve families with women and children camping in tent cities near the border for weeks.
Israel says it will expand response if Gaza clashes go on By Associated Press Mar 31, 2018 GAZA CITY http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-israel-palestinians-protests-20180331-story.html A Palestinian protester throws back a tear gas grenade fired by Israeli troops during clashes in the West Bank city of Hebron on Saturday. (Abed al Hashlamoun / EPA / Shutterstock) Israel will target militant groups inside Gaza if violence along the territory's border with Israel drags on, the chief military spokesman warned on Saturday, a day after thousands of Palestinians staged protests near the border fence. The mass marches were largely led by Gaza's ruling Hamas group and touted as the launch of a six-week-long protest campaign against a stifling decade-old blockade of the territory. Protests are to culminate in a large border march on May 15, the 70th anniversary of Israel founding. The date is mourned by Palestinians as their nakba, or catastrophe, when hundreds of thousands of people were uprooted in the 1948 Mideast war over Israel's creation. Palestinian health officials said 15 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire and more than 750 were hit by live rounds, making Friday the bloodiest day in Gaza since the 2014 cross-border war between Israel and Hamas. It appears unlikely that protests will continue at such a scale, with larger turnouts expected after Friday noon prayers, the highlight of the Muslim religious week. On Saturday, several dozen Palestinians approached the border fence in an area east of Gaza City, but stopped about 200 meters before the barrier. An Associated Press reporter saw two men who walked closer to the fence get shot in the legs by Israeli soldiers, in separate incidents about 15 minutes apart. Medics at the scene said both were shot by live rounds. In all, at least 10 Palestinians were wounded by live fire Saturday, health officials said. In Friday's confrontations, large crowds had gathered near the fence, with smaller groups of protesters rushing forward, throwing stones and burning tires. Israeli troops responded with live fire and rubber-coated steel pellets, while drones dropped tear gas from above. Soldiers with rifles were perched on high earthen embankments overlooking the scene. Israel's military initially said Friday that "thousands of Palestinians are rioting in six locations throughout the Gaza Strip, rolling burning tires and hurling stones." Video released by the army did not back such a description. On Saturday, the chief army spokesman, Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis, said that while thousands of Palestinians approached the border Friday, those engaged in stone-throwing were in the hundreds. Manelis denied soldiers used excessive force, saying those killed by Israeli troops were men between the ages of 18 and 30 who were involved in violence and belonged to militant factions. He alleged Gaza health officials exaggerated the number of wounded, and that several dozen at most were injured by live fire, with others suffering from tear gas inhalation or other types of injuries. Manelis said soldiers knew who they were shooting at and how many people were hit by live fire. Israeli army soldiers shoot tear gas grenades during clashes with Palestinian stone throwers in the West Bank city of Hebron on Saturday. (Abed al Hashlamoun / EPA / Shutterstock) The Gaza Health Ministry did not provide names and ages of those killed. Four of the 15 dead were members of the Hamas military wing, the group said Saturday. The group said a fifth member who was not on the Health Ministry list was killed near the border, and that Israel has the body. It said another man is also missing in the border area. Gaza City's Shifa Hospital received 284 injured people Friday, the majority with bullet injuries, said spokesman Ayman Sahbani. He said 70 were under the age of 18 and 11 were women. He said 40 surgeries were performed Friday and that 50 were planned Saturday. "These are all from live bullets that broke limbs or caused deep, open wounds with damage to nerves and veins," he said. Among those recovering from surgery was 16-year-old Marwan Yassin who said he had thrown stones with a slingshot at the fence Friday and was shot in both legs. One leg was wrapped in bandages and the other had a cast and metal fixtures. Marwan said he would not return to the border because of the risks. His mother said at his bedside that she would forbid him from participating in future protests. Protest organizers have said mass marches would continue until the day of the nakba, an anniversary with particular resonance in Gaza, where the vast majority of 2 million residents are descendants of refugees. The day, May 15, will this year also coincide with the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Manelis reiterated Saturday that Israel "will not allow a massive breach of the fence into Israeli territory." He said that Hamas and other Gaza militant groups are using protests as a cover for staging attacks. If violence continues, "we will not be able to continue limiting our activity to the fence area and will act against these terror organizations in other places, too," he said. The border protests were seen as a new attempt by Hamas to break the border blockade, imposed by Israel and Egypt after the Islamic militant group seized Gaza from forces loyal to its rival, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, in 2007. The continued closure has made it increasingly difficult for Hamas to govern. The large turnout of marchers in the dangerous border zone also seemed to signal desperation among Gaza residents. Life in the coastal strip has deteriorated further in recent months, with rising unemployment, grinding poverty and daily blackouts that last for hours. The prospect of more protests and Palestinian casualties in coming weeks could also place Israel on the defensive. At the United Nations, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an independent investigation, while Security Council members urged restraint on both sides. The council didn't decide on any action or joint message after an emergency meeting Friday evening. Abbas, the West Bank-based leader, renewed a call for international protection of Palestinians. In the West Bank, shopkeepers observed a commercial strike called by political activists Saturday to protest Israel's response to the Gaza marches.
Douma chemical attack draws international outrage US President Trump tells Russia and Iran there would be a 'big price to pay' for backing 'animal Assad'. April 8, 2018 https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018...ws-international-outrage-180408123134301.html Douma, in Eastern Ghouta, has been the target of a fierce government offensive [File: Anadolu] more on Middle East Egypt bans Blue Whale social media game over suicide claims today Deal reached to surrender last rebel-held town in Eastern Ghouta today Libya: Female activists struggle to bring change today Qatar-Gulf crisis: All latest updates today Syria chemical attack: 'It was like my lungs were shutting down' today A chemical attack in a Syrian rebel-held town has sparked widespread international outrage and revulsion. At least 85 people, including many women and children, were killed in Douma on Saturday, according to a statement by rescue workers and medical staff. Condemnation poured in on Sunday as US President Donald Trump warned there would be a "big price to pay", while Turkey said: "it is not possible to justify nor accept such attacks for any reason and in any way, shape or form." "Many dead, including women and children, in mindless CHEMICAL attack in Syria," Trump wrote on Twitter, lashing out at Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his ally, Russia's Vladimir Putin. "President Putin, Russia and Iran are responsible for backing Animal Assad. Big price to pay," he said. Trump's threat came exactly a year and a day after the US army fired cruise missiles at a Syrian airbase in retaliation for a deadly sarin gas attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun. Tom Bossert, White House homeland security adviser, told ABC television that he "wouldn't take anything off the table" when asked whether the US could again respond with a missile attack. The Assad government and Russia both denied any use of chemical weapons as "fabrications". The Russian foreign ministry called the latest reports a "provocation", warning against "military intervention under far-fetched and fabricated pretexts". Commenting on the incidents, the European Union called for an international response to the attack. "The evidence points towards yet another chemical attack by the regime," the bloc said in a statement. "It is a matter of grave concern that chemical weapons continue to be used, especially on civilians. The European Union condemns in the strongest terms the use of chemical weapons and calls for an immediate response by the international community." The EU also called on the UN Security Council to re-establish its checks to identify the perpetrators of chemical attacks and on Russia and Iran - the Syrian government's closest allies - to use their influence with al-Assad to prevent further attacks. Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said France strongly condemned attacks and bombings by Syrian government forces in the last 24 hours in Douma, adding they were a "gross violation of international humanitarian law. He called for the United Nations Security Council to meet quickly to examine the situation saying that France would work with allies to verify reports that chemical weapons were used. Referring to President Emmanuel Macron's warning that France could strike unilaterally if there was a deadly chemical attack, Le Drian said that Paris would assume all its responsibilities in the fight against the proliferation of chemical weapons. Syria's White Helmets, who are the first responders in rebel-held areas of Syria, said the attack late on Saturday involved "poisonous chlorine gas". In recent years, the Syrian government has been accused of using chemical weapons as a tool against the armed opposition. 'Strong suspicion' Turkey denounced the chemical attack in Douma: "We strongly condemn the attack, and we have the strong suspicion it was carried out by the regime, whose record on the use of chemical weapons is known by the international community," the Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement. Ankara said that the incident showed that past UN Security Council resolutions on the use of chemical weapons in Syria were "once again" being ignored. WATCH: Suspected chemical attack 'kills 70' in Syria's Douma (2:36) The foreign ministry also called for an investigation by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and said it expected the international community to condemn the attack. In recent months, Ankara has been working closely with Russia and Iran in a bid to bring an end to the seven-year conflict. Last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed his Iranian and Russian counterparts in Ankara for a summit on Syria. Medical points targeted In a joint statement, the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) and the White Helmets said that the chemical attack in Douma was preceded by "intense bombardment" on Friday. The bombing resulted in significant damage to the city's medical capacity, as "several medical points and ambulance teams" were targeted. WATCH: Syria forces launch assault on rebel-held Douma (1:44) "The SAMS and the Syrian Civil Defense Corps have documented more than 200 uses of chemical weapons in Syria since 2012 so far in Syria," Siraj Mahmood, a member of the White Helmets, said. "Previous Security Council resolutions on the issue have not succeeded in stopping the use of chemical weapons in Syria." Britain's foreign office called on for an international probe into the reports of a chemical attack in Douma. "These are very concerning reports of a chemical weapons attack with significant number of casualties, which if correct, are further proof of Assad's brutality against innocent civilians and his backers' callous disregard for international norms," said a UK Foreign Office spokesperson: Qatar's foreign ministry expressed in a statement its "deep shock at the horror of this horrific crime that shook the conscience of humanity", and called for "an urgent international investigation", according to a report by Qatar News Agency. Saudi Arabia voiced "deep concern" and condemned the chemical attack. "We stress the need to put an end to these tragedies and to pursue a peaceful solution based on the principles of Geneva 1 and Security Council resolution 2254," the country's foreign ministry said in a statement, referring to the 2015 resolution that unanimously called for a ceasefire and political settlement in Syria. Pope Francis also condemned chemical attacks against civilians in a special appeal during Sunday's service in St Peter's Square in the Vatican. "There is no good or bad war and nothing, nothing can justify the use of such instruments of extermination against unarmed people and populations," he said. The pope urged political and military leaders to "choose the other way: the way of negotiations, the only one that can bring a peace that is not the peace of death and destruction". Since February 18, the Syrian government's Ghouta offensive has killed more than 1,600 civilians. SOURCE: Al Jazeera News
if this is false flag attack, is Trump innocent of it or is he totally involved? I imagine that another military attack like last year's could cause a reaction from Russia, perhaps a war of world proportions
Luan, You are asking a lot of the same questions that most people are asking about this. Hopefully no action will be taken until the attacks can be confirmed and hopefully things will not escalate. Because the US took action last year in a similar incident it is very possible that this will happen again.
King Salman, Trump stress need to accelerate Mideast peace efforts in call King Salman (R) and Donald Trump (L) spoke on Monday evening. (File Photos: SPA/ AFP) By Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Tuesday, 3 April 2018 http://english.alarabiya.net/en/New...d-Trump-discuss-regional-updates-in-call.html Saudi Arabia's King Salman had a telephone conversation on Monday evening with US President Donald Trump, in which he discussed regional updates. A Saudi Press Agency statement said the king expressed his thanks and appreciation to Trump for the way in which the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was received during his US tour, and the "fruitful meetings and the signing of important agreements that benefit the two friendly countries." The president stressed on the success of the crown prince’s visit, saying it left a “wonderful impression” on US officials and the private sector and reflected the distinguished relationship between both countries. King Salman stressed on the international effort needed to move forward the Middle East peace process, as well as stressing on the kingdom's steadfast positions on the Palestinian cause and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and the establishment of an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital. The king expressed his appreciation for a recent statement issued by the White House on its strong stance towards the Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen. He also stressed the kingdom's efforts to find a political solution to the Yemeni crisis and provide humanitarian and relief support to its people. Trump called on the need to address the Iranian threat, praising the kingdom's role in achieving stability and its efforts in this regard. The two leaders stressed the importance of what has been achieved in concerted international efforts to fight the terrorist organizations in Iraq and Syria. The king also stressed the need to find a solution to the Syrian crisis that fulfills the aspirations of the Syrian people.
Obama's Iran nuclear deal, backs Israel's right to exist By Gregg Re | Fox News April 3, 2018 http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/0...uclear-deal-backs-israels-right-to-exist.html Saudi Arabia's crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, 32, said Israelis have a right to their 'own land' -- and compared Iran's Supreme Leader to Hitler -- in a wide-ranging interview this week. (Reuters) Saudi Arabia's crown prince affirmed Israel's right to exist and criticized former President Obama's Iran policy in an interview published Monday, pointedly bucking other leaders in the Arab world and signaling support for President Trump's Middle East agenda. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, 32, told The Atlantic that both Israelis and Palestinians "have the right to have their own land" -- a surprising assertion given that many Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, do not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel. “I believe that each people, anywhere, has a right to live in their peaceful nation," he said. "I believe the Palestinians and the Israelis have the right to have their own land.” Prince Mohammed then took aim at Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. WATCH: WHO IS SAUDI ARABIA CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN? “Hitler didn’t do what the supreme leader [of Iran] is trying to do," the crown prince told The Atlantic. "Hitler tried to conquer Europe. This is bad. But the supreme leader is trying to conquer the world. "He is the Hitler of the Middle East." - Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, on Iran's Supreme Leader "He believes he owns the world. They are both evil guys. He is the Hitler of the Middle East. In the 1920s and 1930s, no one saw Hitler as a danger. Only a few people. Until it happened." Asked about the Obama administration's nuclear deal with Iran -- which President Trump has long lambasted -- the crown prince sided with the current White House. NEW SAUDI LEADER SAYS WOMEN 'ABSOLUTELY' ARE EQUAL TO MEN “President Obama believed that if he gave Iran opportunities to open up, it would change,” he said. “But with a regime based on this ideology, it will not open up soon. Sixty percent of the Iranian economy is controlled by the Revolutionary Guard. The economic benefits of the Iran nuclear deal are not going to the people. “They took $150 billion after the deal — can you please name one housing project they built with this money? One park? One industrial zone? Can you name for me the highway that they built? I advise them — please show us something that you’re building a highway with $150 billion. For Saudi Arabia, there is a 0.1 percent chance that this deal would work to change the country. For President Obama it was 50 percent. But even if there’s a 50 percent chance that it would work, we can’t risk it. The other 50 percent is war. We have to go to a scenario where there is no war.” Video State Department presses Iran to free seven US residents Prince Mohammed pushed aside his cousin last year to become first in line to the Saudi throne, and he now controls a vast fortune, a well-heeled military and the future of a nation in the throes of sweeping economic and social change. He is on a mission during his three-week U.S. visit to improve the perception of his nation in the eyes of Americans, who have viewed Saudi Arabia warily because of its conservative social mores, unequal treatment of women and, more recently, deadly military campaign in Yemen. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
I am posting this for background purposes in light of the most recent events that occurred in Syria, Putin, Erdogan and Rouhani Discuss Syria's Future in Ankara Russia and Iran have provided crucial support to President Bashar Assad’s forces, while Turkey has backed the rebels seeking to overthrow him Reuters Apr 04, 2018 https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east...ni-discuss-syria-s-future-in-ankara-1.5976495 Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan poses with his counterparts Hassan Rouhani of Iran and Vladimir Putin of Russia before their meeting in Ankara, Turkey April 4, 2018Kayhan Ozer/Presidential Palace/Handout via REUTERS Kremlin claims Trump suggested Putin visit the White House Turkey, Russia ties grow stronger as U.S. gets elbowed out of the Middle East Russian rocket tests force partial closing of Baltic Sea and airspace The leaders of Russia, Iran and Turkey met in Ankara on Wednesday for talks on resolving the conflict in Syria. Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President Vladimir Putin of Russia and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani were holding their second summit to discuss Syria’s future since attending a similar meeting in Sochi, Russia, in November. The leaders meeting in the Turkish capital are expected to reaffirm their commitment to Syria’s territorial integrity and the continuation of local cease-fires. Talks were also expected to include the issues of border security, the distribution of humanitarian aid and drawing up a constitution for the country. Russia and Iran have provided crucial support to President Bashar Assad’s forces, while Turkey has backed the rebels seeking to overthrow him. The three nations have sponsored several rounds of talks between the Syrian government and the opposition, and brokered local truces in four areas, helping to reduce hostilities. The leaders locked hands while posing for photos at the start of the meeting, but did not make opening remarks. Earlier, Rouhani held separate bilateral meetings with Putin and Erdogan. Meanwhile, the Russian military said Wednesday that it expects a rebel evacuation from the suburbs of the Syrian capital to be completed in the coming days. The Russian Defense Ministry and Syrian rebels struck a deal on Sunday for the Army of Islam, the biggest opposition group in the Damascus suburbs of eastern Ghouta, to leave the area for the rebel-controlled north. The rebels were still leaving the town of Douma, but the evacuation was expected to wrap up in the coming days, said Col. Gen. Sergei Rudskoy of the Russian General Staff. Earlier, Russia’s Defense Ministry said that more than 3,000 rebels and their family members had evacuated Douma since Sunday. The evacuation comes after a blistering five-week government offensive in February and March that killed hundreds of people and caused catastrophic damage in the besieged suburbs.
I am also posting this for background purposes in light of the most recent events that occurred in Syria, Iran, Russia and Turkey meet to plan Syria's future — without U.S. The presidents of the three countries pledged to cooperate on reconstruction and aid. The nations also vowed to protect Syria’s “territorial integrity, according to the Washington Post. Erin CunninghamThe Washington Post April 4, 2018 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-us-isolated-on-syria-talks-20180404-story.html The leaders of Iran, Russia and Turkey met Wednesday for high-level talks on ending the Syrian war, cementing their influence on the outcome of the conflict and isolating the United States from the region's most crucial diplomacy. The three presidents — Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, Iran's Hassan Rouhani and Russia's Vladimir Putin — gathered in the Turkish capital, Ankara, where they pledged to cooperate on reconstruction and aid. They also vowed to protect Syria's "territorial integrity," even as all three nations maintain a military presence inside the country. The leaders called for more support from the international community and emphasized their opposition to "separatist agendas" in Syria. "The future of Syria and our region cannot be left to a few terrorists," Erdogan said at a news conference marking the end of the summit. Turkish troops have fought the Islamic State in Syria, as well as Kurdish militias, which Turkey sees as linked to Kurdish separatists at home. "Without peace in Syria, there cannot be peace in Turkey," he said. "There is a difficult road ahead." But the three nations conferred against a backdrop of rising tensions between them and the United States, which also maintains a military presence in Syria. It was the second time that Erdogan, Putin and Rouhani have met in recent months to discuss the conflict, underscoring those tensions and the extent to which U.S. power has waned in the region. A senior administration official said Wednesday that President Donald Trump has instructed military officials to prepare to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. The president has not set a timetable for the move, the official said, but has stressed that U.S. troops can continue to train local forces that are protecting areas freed from the Islamic State. If implemented, a U.S. departure would leave a power vacuum in parts of Syria, accelerating an already rapid scramble for influence and territory after seven years of conflict. It would also empower Iran and Russia, both U.S. adversaries and backers of Syrian President Bashar Assad, who has clung to power despite the ravages of civil war. The conflict started in 2011 as a peaceful uprising but quickly morphed into an armed rebellion. Since then, nearly half a million Syrians have been killed and more than 11 million displaced, and the country has fractured into a patchwork of fiefdoms, many run by gunmen with shifting allegiances. In the north and east, different areas are controlled by Turkish-backed rebels, al-Qaida-linked militants and Kurdish militants supported by the United States. Elsewhere, a combination of Iranian proxies, Syrian government forces and Russian mercenaries hold sway. Perhaps most striking, however, has been the rapid deterioration of relations between Turkey and the United States, both members of the NATO alliance, despite recent efforts on both sides. Turkey has faulted the Pentagon for cooperating with Kurds in Syria, known as the People's Protection Units, or YPG. The United States has pushed back against Turkish threats to attack the northern Syrian city of Manbij, where U.S. and Syrian Kurdish forces ousted the Islamic State. In the meantime, Turkey has strengthened its ties with Russia, including hosting Putin for talks ahead of Wednesday's three-way summit. Turkey's drift toward Russia has alarmed Western allies, despite their experience of years of friction with Ankara, and Erdogan's decision to host two U.S. foes has served to highlight the animosity. "With the vacuum the United States is leaving in the region, and also with the reckless and careless moves of the Trump administration — like completely disregarding the concerns of Turkey, completely spoiling all the communication channels with Russia — it will lead to the empowerment of these three major powers," Ahmed al-Borai, an editor at TRT World, the English-language channel of Turkey's state broadcaster, said Wednesday, referring to Iran, Russia and Turkey. But even as the three countries converged in Ankara this week, their interests continue to diverge on the battlefield. Turkey has long been an opponent of Assad and has supported the rebels opposed to his rule. But Russia, which backs Assad, has fought to quell the rebellion and maintain its military foothold in Syria. Iran has opposed Turkish operations in Syria and, analysts say, will support Assad at any cost. "There are some real tensions between Turkey and Iran," a Western diplomat said recently, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak about the conflict. "Assad is probably the single most important individual in Iran's projection of strength within Syria and beyond," said the diplomat, whose work is focused on Syria. "I don't think they would want to see any final political reform that endangers Assad's position or weakens his government's hold." Bijan Sabbagh contributed to this report.
Syrians walk past a picture showing Syrian President Bashar Assad with Arabic that reads, "We apologize for your inconvenience, We are working for you. Exit," as shop at the Hamadiyah market in the Old City of Damascus, Syria, Thursday, April 12, 2018. The streets of Damascus were packed with people Thursday evening either going out to shop in one of the city's main markets to hanging out with families and friends at the capital's cafes, restaurants and sweets shops, people mostly appeared not concerned about a possible U.S. strike on the country going on with their lives as usual. Hassan Ammar AP Photo The Latest: Russia says no evidence of gas attack in Douma AP April 13, 2018 BEIRUT The Latest on Syria developments (all times local): 10:45 p.m. Russia's military says its personnel in a Syrian city allegedly hit by a chemical weapons attack have not found evidence to support the claim. Maj. Gen. Yuri Yevtushenko, head of the Russian center for reconciliation of the warring parties in Syria, said Friday that "According to the results of a survey of witnesses, studying samples and investigating locations undertaken by Russian specialists and medical personnel in the city of Douma, where chemical weapons purportedly were used, the use of poisonous substances was not shown." Yevtushenko also said the Russian military will ensure security for investigators from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, who will be working to determine whether chemical weapons were used in Douma. 10:30 p.m. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations says President Donald Trump isn't letting anyone rush him into a decision on possible military action against Syria for its use of chemical weapons. Nikki Haley, who was at White House meetings on Thursday and was heading back to Washington for meetings on Friday, said "you don't rush decisions like this." "If you rush decisions like this you make a mistake," she told reporters at U.N. headquarters in New York. "What we're making sure is that we have all the information to know if we do something what will happen, how will it happen and will it hurt anyone." Haley said she was "unbelievably proud of how president Trump has looked at the information, analyzed, not let anyone rush him into this." She said Trump said from the beginning the U.S. must have all the information and proof, "and we have to know that we're taking every precaution necessary should we take action." Haley added that the National Security Council "has gone back multiple times" and put forward "multiple options." 8:25 p.m. Russia's U.N. ambassador says the United States appears to have adopted a policy to "unleash a military scenario against Syria," saying Moscow continues to observe "dangerous" military preparations. Vassily Nebenzia told an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Friday that "bellicose rhetoric is being ratcheted up at all levels, including at the highest levels." He said these developments "cannot be tolerated" and are "fraught with grave repercussions for global security," especially with Russian troops deployed in Syria. Nebenzia said it was "unworthy" of the United States "to saber rattle." 7:45 p.m. Britain's U.N. ambassador is vehemently denying a Russian military claim that the United Kingdom staged an alleged chemical attack in Syria last weekend, calling it "bizarre" and "a blatant lie." Karen Pierce said she wanted "to state categorically ... that Britain has no involvement and would never have any involvement in the use of a chemical weapon." Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Friday that Britain was "directly involved in the provocation," but didn't elaborate or provide evidence. "This is grotesque," Pierce told reporters as she left an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council. The meeting was called by Russia to address U.S. threatened military action in response to last weekend's attack in the Damascus suburb of Douma. She added: "It's some of the worst piece of fake news we've yet seen from the Russia propaganda machine." 7:15 p.m. Hezbollah's leader is telling President Donald Trump: "Your tweets do not scare us." Speaking at an election campaign rally in Beirut on Friday, Hassan Nasrallah describes Trump's threats to send missiles into Syria as "Hollywood." "All these tweets and threats ... do not scare Syria, Iran, Russia nor any of the resistance movements in the region," he said. Nasrallah said there is no proof and no logic to accusations that the Syrian government used chemical weapons in Douma. "Someone who is cornered might use chemicals, but why would a victor need to?" added. Speaking via satellite link to supporters in Beirut on Friday, Nasrallah also called the alleged chemical weapons attack in Douma a "theater." 6:50 p.m. The leader of Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group says an Israeli airstrike on an air base in central Syria that killed seven Iranians is a "historic mistake." Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah says Monday's attack on the T4 air base ushers in a new phase that puts Israel in a state of "direct confrontation" with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran, Russia and Syria have blamed Israel for the airstrike, which followed a suspected chemical attack on a rebel-held town near Damascus that was blamed by Western powers on the Syrian government. Israel has not acknowledged carrying out the strike. Nasrallah said the "targeted killing" of Iranians was an act of "grave foolishness." Speaking via satellite link to supporters in Beirut Friday, Nasrallah also called the alleged chemical weapons attack in Douma "theater." 6:20 p.m. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations says President Trump "has not yet made a decision about possible actions in Syria." Nikki Haley told an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council called by Russia that should the United States and its allies decide to act in Syria it will be to defend "a bedrock international norm that benefits all nations" — the prohibition on the use of chemical weapons. She said Friday that "the United States estimates that (President Bashar) Assad has used chemical weapons in the Syrian war at least 50 times." As for last week's suspected poisonous gas attack on the Damascus suburb of Douma, Haley said: "We know who did this. Our allies know who did this. Russia can complain all it wants about fake news, but no one is buying its lies and its cover-ups." 6 p.m. The Russian military says that an alleged chemical attack in Syria was staged and directed by Britain. Volunteer first responders and activists claimed a chemical attack by the Syrian government killed over 40 people in the town of Douma, which drew international outrage and prompted Washington and its allies to consider a military response. Moscow warned against any strikes and threatened to retaliate. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, released statements by medics from Douma's hospital who said a group of people toting video cameras entered the hospital, shouting that its patients were struck with chemical weapons and causing panic. The medics said none of the patients were hurt by chemicals. Konashenkov said Friday that Britain was "directly involved in the provocation," but didn't elaborate or provide evidence. continued...
continued from above... 5:40 p.m. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the Middle East is in such "chaos" today that it has become a threat to international peace and security — and Syria "represents the most serious threat." The U.N. chief told an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council Friday called by Russia that the highly volatile situation risks "escalation, fragmentation and division as far as the eye can see with profound regional and global ramifications." Guterres said "the Cold War is back — with a vengeance but with a difference," because safeguards that managed the risk of escalation in the past "no longer seem to be present." He cited the Palestinian-Israeli divide, the Sunni-Shiite divide "evident from the Gulf to the Mediterranean," and other divisive factors reflected in a multiplicity of conflicts. But Guterres said Syria today is the most serious, and "there is no military solution to the conflict." 4:30 p.m. The Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed to coordinate their actions to avoid further military escalation in Syria. A suspected poison gas attack in the suburbs of the Syrian capital, which killed more than 40 people, has drawn international outrage and prompted the United States and its allies to consider a military strike on Syria. France is reported to be one of the strongest backers of a possible strike which Russia strongly opposes. The Kremlin said on Friday in its readout of the phone call between the two presidents that Putin and Macron agreed to ask their foreign policy chiefs to "keep in close contact" to "de-escalate" the situation in Syria. Putin was quoted as urging for a "thorough and objective probe" into the reports of the chemical weapons attack. The Kremlin said both Putin and Macron lauded the upcoming visit of the international chemical watchdog's fact-finding mission to Syria and pledged to join efforts to provide necessary assistance to that mission. 4:05 p.m. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his "deep concerns" over the deterioration of the situation in Syria in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to a statement of the French presidency, Macron calls for dialogue between France and Russia to "continue and intensify" to bring peace and stability to Syria. He "regretted" the Russian veto at the U.N. Security Council which prevented a "united and firm response" after a suspected gas attack last week in Douma, Syria. Macron said Thursday on French national television France has proof that the Syrian government launched chlorine gas attacks and has crossed a line that could prompt French airstrikes. The U.S., France and Britain have been consulting about launching a military strike in Syria. 3:30 p.m. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he has urged calm and efforts to restitute peace in Syria during separate calls this week with U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin. Erdogan also told reporters on Friday that tensions between the two countries over a suspected chemical attack in the Damascus suburb of Douma now seem to have eased. Erdogan says: "What we insisted on tenaciously was the fact that is not right for tensions to heat up; we made requests concerning the restitution of peace and the end of the tragedy that is going on." The Turkish leader also said he sent video recordings concerning the "painful and disastrous scenes" in eastern Ghouta and Douma to Putin through an envoy of the Russian leader. Erdogan did not elaborate. 3:20 p.m. France's foreign minister has cancelled trips to Albania and Slovenia because of rising global tensions around Syria. The move Friday came as the U.S., France and Britain are in extensive consultations about launching a military strike on Syria in retaliation for suspected chemical weapons attacks. Slovenia's Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec said in a statement to the official STA news agency that "due to the Syria crisis," French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian cancelled his planned visit to Slovenia on Friday and Saturday. Albania's Foreign Ministry said Le Drian canceled a trip there planned Friday "due to international developments in the security field." French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday he has proof that Syrian President Bashar Assad's government was behind chlorine attacks in recent days. Syria's government denies responsibility. 2:35 p.m. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim says the use of chemical weapon against civilians in a Damascus suburb is "unforgivable" but says Turkey is urging all sides to refrain from actions that will cause further turmoil in Syria. Yildirim on Friday again condemned the "heinous" the attack in Douma and said the perpetrators should "pay a price." "However ... any action that would lead to the failure or harm activities led by Turkey, Iran and Russia toward a lasting peace should be avoided," Yildirim said. He was referring to the three countries' efforts to reduce violence in Syria. Syrian opposition activists and medics say a suspected gas attack last week killed more than 40 people in Douma. The Syrian government has denied the allegations. 1:35 p.m. Russia's foreign minister has asserted that a suspected chemical attack in the Syrian town of Douma last weekend was fabricated with the help of an unspecified foreign intelligence agency. Sergey Lavrov says Russian experts have inspected the site of the alleged attack in Douma, just east of Damascus, and found no trace of chemical weapons. He says Moscow has "irrefutable information that it was another fabrication." Lavrov spoke to reporters in Moscow on Friday. He said that "intelligence agencies of a state that is now striving to spearhead a Russo-phobic campaign were involved in that fabrication." He didn't elaborate or name the state. The attack has drawn international outrage and prompted the United States and its allies to consider a military strike on Syria, something Moscow has strongly warned against. Syrians shop at the Hamadiyah market in the Old City of Damascus, Syria, Thursday, April 12, 2018. The streets of Damascus were packed with people Thursday evening either going out to shop in one of the city's main markets to hanging out with families and friends at the capital's cafes, restaurants and sweets shops, people mostly appeared not concerned about a possible U.S. strike on the country going on with their lives as usual. Hassan Ammar AP Photo Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/article208784039.html#storylink=cpy
Israel in ‘direct combat’ with Iran after Syria raid: Hezbollah http://www.breitbart.com/news/israel-in-direct-combat-with-iran-after-syria-raid-hezbollah/ by AFP 13 Apr, 2018 Beirut (Lebanon) (AFP) – Israel’s strike on a Syrian airbase this week has put it in direct confrontation with regional foe Iran, the head of Lebanon’s Tehran-backed Hezbollah movement said on Friday. “The Israelis committed a historic mistake… and put themselves in direct combat with Iran,” Hassan Nasrallah warned in a televised address. Seven Iranian personnel were killed in Monday’s early-morning strike on the T-4 airbase in Syria, but Tehran had not specified which units the fighters belonged to. On Friday, Nasrallah said the casualties were elite Iranian Revolutionary Guards, making the strike the first time in Syria’s long-running conflict that they were intentionally hit by Israel. “This is unprecedented in seven years: that Israel directly targets Iran’s Revolutionary Guard,” Nasrallah said. “This is a turning point for the region, and what came before is not what will come after,” he warned. In Israel, the army said Friday that an Iranian drone it which infiltrated the country from Syria before being shot down had been armed with explosives and was primed to carry out an attack. Israeli warplanes had retaliated the same day, attacking the “Iranian base” inside Syria from which the drone was allegedly launched. One of the planes was downed by Syrian air defences, crashing in Israel as its two pilots were hospitalised. Israel is believed to have carried out numerous raids inside Syria since 2013 but it rarely admits to them publicly, although it does say it wants to curb Iranian influence in Syria. It declined to comment on accusations by the Syrian and Russian governments that it was behind the T-4 strike. – US threats – Russian, Iranian and Hezbollah fighters have a presence at the T-4 base, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Observatory said a total of 14 fighters, including Iranians, died in the strike. No Russians were reported to have died. The strike came just two days after a suspected chemical gas attack which killed more than 40 people in a rebel-controlled town outside the Syrian capital. The alleged use of poison gas prompted US President Donald Trump and other Western leaders to threaten military action against Syria — something Nasrallah shrugged off on Friday. “Let the whole world know that Trump’s Hollywood-style tweets and threats have not, and will not, scare Syria, Iran, Russia, or the region’s resistance movements and peoples,” he said. Nasrallah echoed Syrian and Russian government denials that President Bashar al-Assad’s forces were behind the attack. Douma was the last rebel-controlled town in the devastated suburb of Eastern Ghouta, which Assad is now poised to declare fully in government hands after a two-month assault. “Why would the victor use a chemical substance?” Nasrallah asked.
Completely off topic but odd name for a base. The Nazi's had a program called T-4. Horrific. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aktion_T4
I simply don't believe that the IAF attack, if indeed it was the IAF, on Syria is not part of the overall allied campaign. Titanic shifts are taking place in alliances over-there. Iran is Sunni Muslim and most of the rest are Shia Muslim. Arab Shia Muslims have little liking and put little trust in Persian Sunni Iranians. In International Diplomacy there is no such thing as friends ... just temporary alliances .... especially the Middle East. Putin is auditioning to be the Tzar of Russia and wants what all the Tzars through History wanted. That would be a foothold and Naval Port (Air Base) in the Med. They have that now in Syria and I guess that if Assad and friends get to be too much of a problem they will disappear and New Deals made. This new Crown Prince running Saudi Arabia bears watching as he is wheeling-n-dealing to form anti-Iran alliances and it looks like Israel is part of that alliance. Interesting Times ... just as The Good Book told us it would be. The Final Confrontation in the Middle East!!?? GOD SAVE ALL HERE!!
Sorry for nitpicking, CrewDog, but in the interests of accuracy, Iran is Shia Muslim and most of the rest are Sunni Muslims, not that it changes the point you made in your post. This map from the BBC gives a rough idea of the percentages: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-25434060 Near East Turkey, a NATO member and majority Sunni Muslim, is not shown on the map but it has land borders with Iran, Iraq and Syria. Pakistan (with nuclear weapons) is also majority Sunni as is Afghanistan and some other countries bordering Iran, any or all of which could potentially be drawn into a Sunni/Shia conflict. I could be wrong, but I think that India has the most Shia Muslims outside the Middle East. There are large numbers of Shia Muslims in some majority Sunni countries in the Middle East, not least Saudi Arabia where the split is close to 50/50, and the reverse is also true in some of the smaller countries with a Shia majority. Please God there won't be a war because half the world could be drawn into it.
